A timeline of Freedom Communications and The Orange County Register

March 19, 2016

Updated 4:15 p.m.

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1935: Ohio native Raymond Cyrus Hoiles buys the Register. His son, Clarence, takes over business operations and the elder Hoiles takes control of editorial content. Hoiles also buys the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, the first of several paper acquisitions. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

1957: The Register moves out of downtown Santa Ana to an orchard at 625 N. Grand Ave. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1985: The Register staff wins its first Pulitzer Prize for photography of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The same year, the newspaper is renamed The Orange County Register. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1984: Rowdy Gaines helped U.S. swimmers dominate competition held at USC winning the 100 freestyle and anchoring the winning 4x100 relay. This image was part of The Register's 1984 Pulitzer entry. HAL STOELZLE, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1989: Register reporter Edward Humes wins the Pulitzer Prize for Specialized Reporting, based on his coverage of the military. It was the paper's second Pulitzer. Former editor N. Christian Anderson at right pours champagne over Humes. STEVE OUALLINE, FILE PHOTO

2012: Boston businessmen Eric Spitz, left, and Aaron Kushner buy Freedom Communications for $50 million. After years of dwindling staff, the new owners go on a hiring spree and the newsroom balloons from 188 employees to more than 400. They also launch new sections, magazines and expanded community editions across the county. LEONARD ORTIZ, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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2013: Lynette Sewell reads the first edition of the Long Beach Register at Polly's Gourmet Coffee in Long Beach, on August 19, 2013. The paper folded in December 2014. JEFF GRITCHEN, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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November 2013: Kushner and Spitz buy The Press-Enterprise, a daily paper in Riverside, for $27.25 million. ERIC VILCHIS, FILE PHOTO

April 2014: The Los Angeles Register is launched in April, but folds in September after just five months. Orange County Register Rditor Rob Curley, former Los Angeles Register editor Ron Sylvester and former Freedom Communications president and co-owner Eric Spitz, from left, hold up copies of the first edition of the Los Angeles Register in 2014. BLAINE OHIGASHI, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

1935: Ohio native Raymond Cyrus Hoiles buys the Register. His son, Clarence, takes over business operations and the elder Hoiles takes control of editorial content. Hoiles also buys the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, the first of several paper acquisitions. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

1931: The Anaheim Register is launched, but folds amid the Great Depression.

1935: Ohio-native Raymond Cyrus Hoiles buys the Register. His son, Clarence, takes over business operations and the elder Hoiles takes control of editorial content. Hoiles also buys the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, the first of several paper acquisitions.

1937: Hoiles launches his famously libertarian six-day-a-week column, which is eventually named “Common Ground.”

1939: The Register moves to Sycamore and Sixth streets in downtown Santa Ana, and changes its name to the Santa Ana Register, dropping “Daily” from the flag.

1946: Hoiles buys the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph.

1950: Hoiles launches Freedom Newspapers in Santa Ana with the Register as its flagship.

2004: Freedom partners with two Wall Street firms, Blackstone Group and Providence Equity Partners, to raise $1 billion to buy out dissident Hoiles family shareholders, but the family retains control of the company.

2006: Scott Flanders is named Freedom CEO. He leaves three years later, becoming CEO of Playboy Enterprises.

July 2012: Boston businessmen Aaron Kushner and Eric Spitz and their 2100 Trust group buy Freedom Communications for $50 million. After years of staff reductions, the new owners go on a hiring spree; the newsroom staff alone balloons from roughly 185 to more than 400. With a focus on print, rather than digital, the pair launch new sections, magazines and expanded community editions.

December 2012: AsFreedom moves to sell off its smaller daily newspapers, the company acquires Churm Media, which includes three local magazines.

November 2013: Kushner and Spitz buy The Press-Enterprise, a daily paper in Riverside, for $27.25 million.

August 2013: Freedom launches the Long Beach Register, a daily newspaper.

April 2014: The Los Angeles Register is launched in April, but folds in September. The Long Beach Register folds in December.

October 2014:Rich Mirman, a Freedom investor and former casino executive, replaces Kushner as publisher. The Los Angeles Times sues the Register, claiming the newspaper breached a delivery contract with the Times to switch to new carriers. The rapid switch disrupts delivery of the Register for months.

March 2016: Bankruptcy auction begins March 16 for ownership of The Register and Press-Enterprise. After Tribune is announced as the auction's winner, the Department of Justice seeks and receives a temporary restraining order to stop the sale. Digital First Media announced Saturday that Freedom's attorneys will accept its offer. A hearing is scheduled for Monday.

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